Effective #leaders know when life gets sour, they need to keep adding #sugar until things turn out #sweet. #QuoteADay #Day38 #edchat #edu
Like it or not, life isn't always smooth. In fact, in the world of education, there are plenty of opportunities where things can go sour. Of course, those who get it know that the best leaders don't let the sour grapes spoil their wine, opting instead to add doses of sweetness to turn a situation around.
As a leader you're always in the spotlight. And when in the spotlight, you can't let any one person, situation, or idea get the best of you. That means addressing challenging situations when they happen, but not allowing yourself to be so challenged that you can no longer think or act as professionally as you truly are. Leaders must be comfortable showing their emotions, but must be even more comfortable showing poise, thought, and reflection. These characteristics can help separate the leaders who weigh every step from those who over-react or jump in too soon.
How do we prevent our emotions from boiling over? By sweetening the situation with niceties that are true and a return of conversation to the topics of most importance: children and learning.
There are times where we feel that our whole being is under attack. Yet, we must make sure that we never allow our personal feelings to cloud our professional thought. By taking even the most negative situations and softening them with some sugar, we can build some time for reflection before reaction, and this always makes for better decision-making.
Friday, February 7, 2014
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Quote-A-Day: Day 37
Strong leaders know that #communication transcends media: both face-to-face + virtual are necessary. #QuoteADay #Day37 #edchat #edu #edtech
If there is one thing about education that can't be denied, it is that effective leading and learning rests on effective communication. The most effective educators understand the importance of communication, and even more so, understand the need to communicate across media.
SPOILER ALERT: There is no one form of communication that works in every given context (I know, surprise, surprise). And yet, sometimes, we bang our heads against the wall trying to reach the same stakeholders in the same way over and over (and over) again.
The good news is that with so many different media available (both face-to-face and virtual) it is just a matter of time and practice to figure out what form of communication works best for each stakeholder group. The more challenging news is that to do this, we need to invest time (a whole lot of precious time :) ).
The best part, of course, is that now, more than ever before, we can reach populations we could only dream of reaching, and through that process help further education.
Like anything else in education, there is no panacea. Forms of communication are no different!
If there is one thing about education that can't be denied, it is that effective leading and learning rests on effective communication. The most effective educators understand the importance of communication, and even more so, understand the need to communicate across media.
SPOILER ALERT: There is no one form of communication that works in every given context (I know, surprise, surprise). And yet, sometimes, we bang our heads against the wall trying to reach the same stakeholders in the same way over and over (and over) again.
The good news is that with so many different media available (both face-to-face and virtual) it is just a matter of time and practice to figure out what form of communication works best for each stakeholder group. The more challenging news is that to do this, we need to invest time (a whole lot of precious time :) ).
The best part, of course, is that now, more than ever before, we can reach populations we could only dream of reaching, and through that process help further education.
Like anything else in education, there is no panacea. Forms of communication are no different!
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Quote-A-Day: Day 36
A #leader who doesn't get the importance of rest is like a candle burning at both ends. Neither will last long. #edchat #QuoteADay #Day36
Rest and relaxation are necessary parts of life. Leaders and learners need to make sure they are getting appropriate amounts of rest in order to tackle the challenges that life provides. As I write this, I'm working through a fever that has kept me in bed for much of the day. Being a very active person, it's hard to stay in bed for even the shortest period of time, but I recognize the importance of doing what I can to let my body take care of itself. I've spent most of the day sleeping, and am now so wired that I am just itching to get out of bed.
Still, we have to recognize that our bodies (and minds) give us signs as to when we need to slow down. Leaders who operate on a mile-a-minute mentality are destined to burn out, and if they don't, it's likely they will have moved so fast through their careers that they will have never built the capacity to secure their buildings and districts for the future.
Sticking with my own advice I'm going to keep this post short and take it easy the rest of the night, with hopes of being "back to normal" by the morning.
Rest and relaxation are necessary parts of life. Leaders and learners need to make sure they are getting appropriate amounts of rest in order to tackle the challenges that life provides. As I write this, I'm working through a fever that has kept me in bed for much of the day. Being a very active person, it's hard to stay in bed for even the shortest period of time, but I recognize the importance of doing what I can to let my body take care of itself. I've spent most of the day sleeping, and am now so wired that I am just itching to get out of bed.
Still, we have to recognize that our bodies (and minds) give us signs as to when we need to slow down. Leaders who operate on a mile-a-minute mentality are destined to burn out, and if they don't, it's likely they will have moved so fast through their careers that they will have never built the capacity to secure their buildings and districts for the future.
Sticking with my own advice I'm going to keep this post short and take it easy the rest of the night, with hopes of being "back to normal" by the morning.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Quote-A-Day: Day 35
If given choice, hold onto #people over #ideas. Ideas can be regenerated, people cannot. #edchat #edu #QuoteADay #Day35 #AllAboutThePeople
There are times when we find ourselves between a rock and a hard place; where a choice we make either supports people, or supports an idea. In those instances, it is best to think about how your decision will make the people (and the idea) "feel."
The fact of the matter is (surprise, surprise) ideas can't feel, and while decisions can't always be made based on "feelings," we must understand the power of relationships. Once we've let a person go, he/she can be hard, if not impossible, to bring back. Tabled ideas, however, can be re-pitched when the time, and people involved, are right.
The main problem with picking an idea over a person is that while ideas may contribute intellectual capital, they never produce human capital. People, on the other hand, provide both. From a simple risk-benefit analysis (I know, I know, life is never that simple) the answer is clear.
Is there ever an instance where the idea should take precedence over the person? Yes, but only in rare circumstances. If the idea must be acted on immediately, and will positively impact a large number of stakeholders, and the person involved is simply providing resistance, than the idea is the logical choice. But, in my years in education so far, this type of situation rarely happens. Remember, individuals before ideas.
What do you think?
There are times when we find ourselves between a rock and a hard place; where a choice we make either supports people, or supports an idea. In those instances, it is best to think about how your decision will make the people (and the idea) "feel."
The fact of the matter is (surprise, surprise) ideas can't feel, and while decisions can't always be made based on "feelings," we must understand the power of relationships. Once we've let a person go, he/she can be hard, if not impossible, to bring back. Tabled ideas, however, can be re-pitched when the time, and people involved, are right.
The main problem with picking an idea over a person is that while ideas may contribute intellectual capital, they never produce human capital. People, on the other hand, provide both. From a simple risk-benefit analysis (I know, I know, life is never that simple) the answer is clear.
Is there ever an instance where the idea should take precedence over the person? Yes, but only in rare circumstances. If the idea must be acted on immediately, and will positively impact a large number of stakeholders, and the person involved is simply providing resistance, than the idea is the logical choice. But, in my years in education so far, this type of situation rarely happens. Remember, individuals before ideas.
What do you think?
Monday, February 3, 2014
Quote-A-Day: Day 34
#HideAndSeek is a #game, not a way of life. The best leaders are always #present and always #transparent. #edchat #edu #QuoteADay #Day34
As I was playing hide-and-seek with my daughter and her friend (I was hidden away behind the sofa in our family room), I started thinking about the connections between this fun game, and education. I've worked with educators in the past who play hide-and-seek as if it were a way of life; they are never around when you need them, and they run from any type of confrontation, always sticking their heads in the sand or covering up potential problems.
Happily, I've also worked with those who remember that hide-and-seek is a game, not a behavior to strive for. These folks see the importance of transparency and open communication, and understand that confrontations are the first step toward resolution; to avoid them means a solution to a problem is not being sought.
I attempt to lead and learn with this in mind. I make it my business to seek out problems and begin the process of solving them while they're still molehills, and not mountains. I also find that honesty and openness is beyond necessary. I would rather work through tough times as they happen, then put off communicating and have those tough times become even tougher (or even longer).
The point? Let's remember to separate games from reality. Hide-and-seek is a lot of fun to play, but not quite as enjoyable to live.
As I was playing hide-and-seek with my daughter and her friend (I was hidden away behind the sofa in our family room), I started thinking about the connections between this fun game, and education. I've worked with educators in the past who play hide-and-seek as if it were a way of life; they are never around when you need them, and they run from any type of confrontation, always sticking their heads in the sand or covering up potential problems.
Happily, I've also worked with those who remember that hide-and-seek is a game, not a behavior to strive for. These folks see the importance of transparency and open communication, and understand that confrontations are the first step toward resolution; to avoid them means a solution to a problem is not being sought.
I attempt to lead and learn with this in mind. I make it my business to seek out problems and begin the process of solving them while they're still molehills, and not mountains. I also find that honesty and openness is beyond necessary. I would rather work through tough times as they happen, then put off communicating and have those tough times become even tougher (or even longer).
The point? Let's remember to separate games from reality. Hide-and-seek is a lot of fun to play, but not quite as enjoyable to live.
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Quote-A-Day: Day 33
Before you search for #answers, make sure you know what the #problem is. #QuoteADay #Day33 #edchat #edu #CommonCore #CCSS
Over the last few weeks, the rhetoric from both Common Core detractors and supporters has ratcheted up tremendously. Yet, the battle lines are still the same. Detractors continue to claim that everything about the Common Core is terrible; supporters state that all aspects of the Common Core are the best thing since sliced bread. But there is a third group of people in this conversation too, those who support some aspects of the Common Core initiative and act as detractors to others. I fit into this category.
I am a big proponent of what the standards "stand for," and seeing some of the standards addressed in classrooms leads me to believe that they can do much and more for the education of our children and students. However, I find fault with the tremendous testing agenda our country now faces, and believe, at least here in NY, that the implementation process for the Common Core has been botched, and shows a major disconnect between state officials and those "in the trenches."
Why am I telling you this? Simply because detractors and supporters of "THE COMMON CORE" (caps intended) are missing the boat. With an initiative this complex, we need to investigate all parts to find out where the problems really are. Saying the Common Core is a "menace" does nothing more than instill fear in those who know nothing about it (case in point: a conversation I had with a lawyer parent at a birthday party yesterday that started, "Should I start worrying about the Common Core?" [note: his son is three]). On the flip side, saying the Common Core has no issues is short-sighted, and at worst, an outright lie.
So, beforewe support or call for a moratorium against an issue as big (and divisive) as the Common Core, we must make sure that we know what, specifically, we find fault with, and just as importantly, how we would fix it. Otherwise, we're just engaging in an educational cop-out.
Over the last few weeks, the rhetoric from both Common Core detractors and supporters has ratcheted up tremendously. Yet, the battle lines are still the same. Detractors continue to claim that everything about the Common Core is terrible; supporters state that all aspects of the Common Core are the best thing since sliced bread. But there is a third group of people in this conversation too, those who support some aspects of the Common Core initiative and act as detractors to others. I fit into this category.
I am a big proponent of what the standards "stand for," and seeing some of the standards addressed in classrooms leads me to believe that they can do much and more for the education of our children and students. However, I find fault with the tremendous testing agenda our country now faces, and believe, at least here in NY, that the implementation process for the Common Core has been botched, and shows a major disconnect between state officials and those "in the trenches."
Why am I telling you this? Simply because detractors and supporters of "THE COMMON CORE" (caps intended) are missing the boat. With an initiative this complex, we need to investigate all parts to find out where the problems really are. Saying the Common Core is a "menace" does nothing more than instill fear in those who know nothing about it (case in point: a conversation I had with a lawyer parent at a birthday party yesterday that started, "Should I start worrying about the Common Core?" [note: his son is three]). On the flip side, saying the Common Core has no issues is short-sighted, and at worst, an outright lie.
So, beforewe support or call for a moratorium against an issue as big (and divisive) as the Common Core, we must make sure that we know what, specifically, we find fault with, and just as importantly, how we would fix it. Otherwise, we're just engaging in an educational cop-out.
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Quote-A-Day: Day 32
#Learning should be about #collaboration, #communication, and #creativity first; #compliance last. #QuoteADay #Day32 #edchat #edu #3Cs
Yesterday, during a meeting with a team of our consultants, we had a great discussion about one of Motoko Rich's articles pertaining to contemporary issues in education (you can find it here). As we were talking, we began to focus on the "C's" of education, namely creativity, communication, and collaboration. We also talked about a "C" that gets too much attention, but really shouldn't be as large a factor as it is today: Compliance.
It's amazing how many great educational terms start with the letter "C." It's even more interesting how three of the most important factors in a school system: Growing levels of creativity, active and open communication, and collaboration among all stakeholders, are "C" words. Not surprisingly, words like "Compliance" and "Constrict" also start with that letter.
If there were an educational version of Wheel of Fortune, "C" would definitely be a letter to go with in the final round, for sure.
All joking aside, we must do what we can to focus on the worthy "Cs" and reduce our reliance on the "Cs" that mean less for the success our leaders and learners. Of course, words can't rule us, only actions truly can, so if we value "Cs" like creativity and communication, we have to find ways to make them a part of what we do every day.
Yesterday, during a meeting with a team of our consultants, we had a great discussion about one of Motoko Rich's articles pertaining to contemporary issues in education (you can find it here). As we were talking, we began to focus on the "C's" of education, namely creativity, communication, and collaboration. We also talked about a "C" that gets too much attention, but really shouldn't be as large a factor as it is today: Compliance.
It's amazing how many great educational terms start with the letter "C." It's even more interesting how three of the most important factors in a school system: Growing levels of creativity, active and open communication, and collaboration among all stakeholders, are "C" words. Not surprisingly, words like "Compliance" and "Constrict" also start with that letter.
If there were an educational version of Wheel of Fortune, "C" would definitely be a letter to go with in the final round, for sure.
All joking aside, we must do what we can to focus on the worthy "Cs" and reduce our reliance on the "Cs" that mean less for the success our leaders and learners. Of course, words can't rule us, only actions truly can, so if we value "Cs" like creativity and communication, we have to find ways to make them a part of what we do every day.
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